It looks like we will wear cloth masks outside a lot more in the future. Wearing masks outside is much more normal in Asia than it was in the West in the past for various reasons. While I was living in Shanghai, I wore masks a lot when I was venturing outside because of air pollution, and as a makeup-loving wearer of glasses, I HATED every second of it. It gets hot under it, your ears start to hurt after a while and your glasses inevitably fog up. If you’ve got similar face mask problems with makeup and glasses, I found some things that help with that, though.
Makeup under fabric masks
I found that you need products that work well in a hot and humid environment (i.e. under the mask). I feel there’re two ways to go here: either you go as light as possible, or you use all your big guns, makeup-wise. Either there’s nothing to smudge (or it doesn’t matter if it does), or you try to prevent it. (Have a look at my recommendations for a summer makeup routine that deals with the same matters.)
Base
Option 1: As sheer as possible
Think powders, tinted moisturisers/sunscreens, BB Creams etc. that’ll be touched up easily. (Maybe even a cushion foundation, because they come with a puff for quick re-application.) I personally wouldn’t advise to use a very dewy base as it’ll inevitably transfer onto your mask.
Option 2: Longwear all the way
The heavyweights (longlasting foundation, primer, setting powder, setting mist). Apply primer/setting powder/finishing spray on places the mask rests or rubs on, like cheekbones, chin, and bridge of the nose. Thin layers are your friend, and make sure that everything has properly set and dried down when you don your mask.
Eyes/rest of your face
Draw attention to your eyes AND brows that’ll stand out from the covered rest of your face. Have fun with it and don’t forget your undereye concealer! (I feel like my tips for wearing makeup with glasses are a good starting point here.) If you don’t want to spend hours on your eye makeup, liner and tons of mascara work as well.
Very likely your blush will be destroyed by the straps of a mask – go for a light bronzer/highlighter combo.
As an aside, dangly earrings often get caught in straps, so that’s a no from me.
Lips
Again, either go bare and apply when you take down the mask or reach for a longlasting (liquid) lipstick that doesn’t budge, no matter what.
The problem with glasses
If you’ve experienced your glasses fogging up when wearing a mask, take heart: it’ll get better when the weather gets warmer. Why? The NYT says:
When we wear a mask, warm breath can escape through the top edges, along the tops of our cheeks. When the hot air lands on cooler lenses, it creates condensation on the surface and a foggy film.
The New York Times
What I found
All hacks I collected below don’t really work for me. The only thing that did work was switching to glasses that are shaped differently than my usual pair. The size of the actual lenses and the size of the frame matters. My rather square glasses fog up a lot easier than my smaller, roundish glasses where the air can escape around.
Also, masks with included wire that allows them to adhere more tightly to the nose aren’t better: I’ve had the same issue with all kinds of masks. Make sure that your mask reaches up as high as possible on your nose while still being attached under your chin. Try to play with the placement of your glasses – maybe a bit more down your nose works wonders.
Other hacks
Divers use some kind of de-fogging spray. Dishwashing liquid/toothpaste that I’ve seen used by both snorkelers and divers only work on glasses that haven’t been coated with extra protection against glare and smudges (all of mine are).
You can also use tape (yes, indeed) and tape the mask to your face if you’re desperate: go for the upper parts of your face (cheekbones, nose) and be super, super careful when removing the mask to not contaminate both the mask and your face. That’s something the people in the medical field do and maybe it’s a bit too drastic for everyday life and your shopping run.
A hack I’ve seen floating around but would advise against is putting tissue on the bridge of your nose. You want a mask that adheres to your face as tightly as possible and don’t want to compromise that by creating gaps with tissue. Please also don’t fold down your mask – same issue. In fact, don’t tamper with your mask at all, because first thing it should do is protect yourself and others.
AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T SPIT ON YOUR GLASSES. We’re still dealing with that pesky virus, remember?
Please note that this post is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods or money for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
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